Hydraulic draft gear

ABSTRACT

A hydraulic cushioning device and draft gear is disposed in cushion pockets at opposite ends of a center sill. The cushioning device comprises a hydraulic cylinder with a piston assembly slidable lengthwise therein. The cylinder is anchored within the center sill by removable stops which extend through the center sill. The piston assembly includes a piston rod which projects through an end wall of a yoke housing and is retained therein by means of a connecting element seated in a socket. The yoke housing is provided with outward projections forming, with a pair of removable stops projecting through the center sill, a pair of spring pockets which contain springs adapted to return the piston assembly to a neutral position during draft impacts. The yoke housing includes a coupler shank which is movable within the yoke housing to transmit buff impacts directly to the connecting element of the piston rod.

United States Patent [72] Inventors William H. Knippel Palo Park, 11].;Marvin Stark, Michigan City, Ind. [21] Appl. No. 799,176 [22] Filed Feb.14,1969 [45] Patented Feb. 2, 1971 [73] Assignee Pullman, Incorporated,

Chicago, 111. a corporation of Delaware [54] HYDRAULIC DRAFT GEAR 10Claims, 11 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 213/8, 213/43. 213/54, 213/67 [51] lnt.Cl B6lg 9/02, B61 g9/ 12 [50] Field of Search 213/8, 43, 54, 67, 62, 64, 223, 7, 46

[56] v References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,152,699 10/1964Vickerman i. 213/8 3,207,324 9/1965 Blake 213/8 Primary Examiner-DraytonE. Hoffman Attorneys- Hilmond O. Vogel and Wayne Morris Russel ABSTRACT:A hydraulic cushioning device and draft gear is disposed in cushionpockets at opposite ends of a center sill. The cushioning devicecomprises a hydraulic cylinder with a piston assembly slidablelengthwise therein. The cylinder is anchored within the center sill byremovable stops which extend through the center sill. The pistonassembly includes a piston rod which projects through an end wall of ayoke housing and is retained therein by means of a connecting elementseated in a socket. The yoke housing is provided with outwardprojections forming, with a pair of removable stops projecting throughthe center sill, a pair of spring pockets which contain springs adaptedto return the piston assembly to a neutral position during draftimpacts. The yoke housing includes a coupler shank which is movablewithin the yoke housing to transmit buff impacts directly to theconnecting element of the piston rod.

PATENTEU FEB 21971 SHEET 2 [IF 4 mm Om mm nveplfors Willis KnippelMarvin S1 rk Hor ey HYDRAULIC DRAFT GEAR SUMMARY It is a prime object ofthis invention to provide an improved hydraulic draft gear illinstallation including a cushioning device of the type shown in U.S.Pat. application Ser. No. 799.175, filed Feb. 14, 1969. Suchinstallation provides quick interchangeability of the cushioning units,includes an effective structure on the center sill for receiving impactand draft A forces and further provides an improved spring pocketarrangement in combination with a coupler yoke providing for theeffective return of the cushioning assembly to a neutral position afterdraft impact.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of aportion of the end of a railway car having an improved hydraulic cushionunit disposed in the end of the center sill of the car;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially along theline 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view through a yoke and center stillconstruction taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 6-6of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of an underframe structureincluding a center sill;

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view of a yoke arrangement and couplerdisposed in the end of a center sill;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a cushioning unit adapted tobe utilized in connection with the yoke shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a center sill with certain portions brokenaway to show an operating position of a cushioning unit; and

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing another operating positionof a cushioning unit.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now particularly to FIG. 1 a railway car10 includes conventional trucks 12 and an underframe generallydesignated at l3 which includes a center sill 14. The center sill 14comprises a top wall 15, vertically extending sidewalls 16,

and outwardly disposed lower flanges 17. The opposite ends of the centersill 14 also include a conventional center sill reinforcing structuregenerally designated by the reference character 19. As best shown inFIGS. 3, 4 andS, the opposite ends of the center sill 14 may be suitablyclosed by a cover plate secured by suitably removable connectors. Eachend of the center sill is provided with a cushion pocket generallydesignated at 18.

A hydraulic cushion unit 21 is positioned in each c-ushion pocket 18 andincludes a cylinder 22 having at one end a connecting plate 23 whichalso supports a metering pin 24 extending within the interior of thecylinder 22. A pistonassembly is designated at 25 and includes a piston26 and a rod 27 connected thereto, the rod projecting outwardly from oneend of the cylinder 22. The cushioning device is described in moredetail in the aforementioned patent application and includes a rubberaccumulator 28 suitably attached (not shown) to the piston rod 27. Thecylinder 22 also includes a spring retainer 29 in abutment with a spring30. The connecting plate 23 is supported against longitudinal movementin one direction by means of fixed stops 31 provided on the sidewalls 16of the center sill 14. The center sill 14 also is provided with openings33 provided in the sidewalls 16 adjacent to the connecting plate 23.Reinforcement plates 34 having openings 35 in registry with the openings33 are suitably connected to the sidewalls 16. A pair of stop brackets36 include stop projections 37 extending through the openings 33 and 35,said projections 37 extending into the pocket 18 as best shown in FIGS.2 and 5. Suitable fastener bolts 38 connect the brackets 36 to thesidewalls 16. The connecting plate 23 also has spacers 39 connectedthereto which are engaged by the projections 37 for securely connectingthe connecting plate 23 to the center sill 14. The, ends of the centersill 14 are also provided with openings 40 and have reinforcing plates41 with openings 42 positioned on sidewalls 16 in registry with theopenings 40. A pair of brackets 43 contain inwardly extendingprojections 44 which extend through the openings 40 and 42 into thecenter sill 14. Suitable fastener bolts 45, as best shown in FIG. 2,connect the brackets 43 in position.

As best shown in FIG. 8, the yoke or slidable housing, generallydesignated at 46, includes at its front end a bellmouth openingstructure 47. The yoke 46 includes a top wall 48, a bottom wall 49 andconnected sidewalls 50. The yoke 46 is also provided with a rear wall 51having projecting ears 52 extending vertically and laterally on the rearwall 51. The projecting ears 52 provide, at one end of a space formed bysaid projecting ears 52 and the stop projections 44, spring pockets 53within each of which a leaf spring assembly 54 is positioned. As shownin FIG. 2, the rear wall 51 is also provided with a bore 55 throughwhich one end of the piston rod 27 projects into the interior of theslidable yoke housing 46. A

, connecting element 56 is threaded onto the end of the piston rod 27,the said connecting element 56 having a convex face 57 slidably disposedin a concave surface 58 of the rear wall 51.

A coupler 59, which may be of conventional construction, comprises ashank 60, having elongated slots 61. A key 62 is disposed in slots 63provided in the sidewalls 50 permitting a limited amount of longitudinalmovement of said key 62 relative to the housing 46. The key 62 alsoextends through the slots 61 of the shank 60. Suitable aperturedabutment plates 64 are disposed in the inner surfaces of the sidewalls50 to be engaged by the shank 60 of the coupler 59 during swingingmovement of the same. As best shown in FIG 9, the key 62 may be providedwith suitable retainer clips 64 welded to said key 62 at opposite endsfor retaining said key within the slots 63. As best shown in FIGS. 3, 6and 7, the ends of the center sill are, in the region of the springpockets 53 provided with retaining brackets 65 having spring seatprojections 66 for retaining the leaf spring assemblies in the springpocket 53.

THE OPERATION Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 11, a buff impact on thecoupler 59 causes the shank 60 to move longitudinally so that the end ofthe shank 60 engages the connector 56 in turn imparting longitudinalmovement of the wall 51 of the yoke 46 in a direction two toward theconnecting plate 23 whereupon the relationship of the piston 26 is suchto the metering pin 24 that a constant cushioning force is provided bythe cushioning unit. The spring 30 is compressed and after the impactceases, restores the yoke 46 to the position shown in FIG. 2. In theneutral position as shown by a line A in FIG. 10, the piston 26 has itsface disposed coincident with the line A. In draft impact the piston 26is moved to the line B FIG. 10. As shown in FIG. 11, the piston 26 is.moved from the neutral position designated at line A to the closedposition shown by the line C in FIG. 11. During a draft impact, as shownin FIG. 10, the housing 46 is moved to the right in in the direction ofthe arrow and the leaf spring assemblies 54 are in a compressedposition. After the draft impact ceases, the spring assemblies 54 returnthe yoke 46 and the piston 26 to their neutral positions.

The brackets 36 and 43 are readily removable in order to change over thecushioning unit during maintenance. Furthermore, the projections 37extend through the openings in a manner whereby the stresses on theprojections 37 are absorbed in the sidewalls 16 rather than on thefasteners 38, and in the reinforcing plates 34 which are suitably weldedto the sidewalls 16. Thus the connecting plate 23 is fixedly securedbetween the projections 37 and the fixed stops 31.

The removable brackets 43 are similarly placed through the openings 40and 42 so that again the forces are taken on the sidewalls 16 of thecenter sill. Further, the brackets serve to provide one end of a draftspring pocket 53 with the projections 52. Thus an effective returnspring arrangement is provided by means of the leaf springs. Further,the arrangement is such that the yoke 46 is primarily supported forsliding arrangement on the center sill solely by the projections 52 andis free to move to some extent angularly during the application ofimpacts. The spring seat 66 provided by the retainer bracket 65 alsoserves to retain the leaf spring assembly 54 in the spring pocket 53.

We claim:

1. A draft gear and cushioning assembly for a railway car having alongitudinal center sill which includes vertical laterally spacedsidewalls and top and bottom walls connected to define an open endcushion pocket;

a retaining member connected to said sill in longitudinally spacedrelation from said open end and projecting laterally relative to saidwalls;

a hydraulic cushion disposed within said cushion pocket and including acylinder;

a piston assembly movable lengthwise within said cylinder and includinga piston having a piston rod connected thereto;

first and second connecting members respectively connected to saidcylinder and piston rod;

said walls having opposed first openings longitudinally spaced andadjacent said retaining member;

first removable stop brackets connected to an outer surface of saidwalls including first stop members extending through said openings andwith said retaining member engaging said first connecting member toanchor the same on said sill;

a coupler assembly comprising a yoke including vertical laterally spacedsidewalls and top and bottom walls interconnected to provide an open endhousing slidably disposed through the open end of said cushion pocket;

said housing having a rear wall connected to said second connectingmeans and including laterally projecting ears;

said walls having opposed second openings longitudinally spaced from endadjacent said open end of said cushion pocket;

second removable stop brackets connected to an outer surface of saidwalls including second stop members extending through said openings andwith said laterally projecting ears providing spring pockets on oppositesides of said yoke between the adjacent sidewalls of said housing andcenter sill;

spring means disposed in each spring pocket;

a coupler including a coupler shank connected within said housing forreal relative swinging movement;

said yoke being movable from a neutral position toward a said retainingmember to provide for relative movement between said cylinder and pistonassembly to a closed position on buff impact; and

biasing means cooperatively connected between said cylinder and yoke forreturning said yoke to its neutral position, said yoke being movable inan opposite direction during a draft impact whereby said spring means insaid spring pockets are compressed and said spring means then restoressaid yoke to its neutral position.

2. The invention is accordance with claim 1,

said cushion pocket including upper and lower transversely spaced springretaining brackets extending lengthwise within and connected to saidsill;

said brackets including longitudinally extending retaining seats;

said spring means comprising a plurality of nested leaf springs; and

the upper and lower ends of said leaf springs being disposed in saidretaining seats.

3. The invention in accordance with claim 1, including reinforcingplates connected to said walls and having openings registered with thefirst'and second openings of said walls with said stop membersprojecting through said walls.

4. The invention in accordance with claim 1,

said rear wall of said yoke housing having a longitudinal bore; 5

said piston rod extending through said bore; and

said second connecting means in the neutral position and during draftimpacts engaging a surface of said rear wall.

5. The invention in accordance with claim 4, said rear surface includinga concave socket and said second connecting means having a convexportion disposed in said socket.

6. The invention in accordance with claim 4, said coupler shank beingpositioned for relative lengthwise movement relative to said yokehousing and during buff impacts engaging said second connecting meansand transmitting the impact forces directly thereto.

7. A draft gear and cushioning assembly for a railway car having alongitudinal hollow center sill provided at one end with a cushionpocket;

a cushion assembly disposed in a said cushion pocket;

said cushion assembly including a cylinder;

a piston assembly including a piston and piston rod within saidcylinder;

said cylinder and piston rod having relative lengthwise movement from aneutral to a closed position during buff impact,

a connecting element connected to said cylinder and another connectingelement connected to said piston rod;

means anchoring one of said connecting elements within said cushionpocket;

said other connecting means being longitudinally movable within saidcenter sill;

a coupler yoke housing positioned for reciprocation within said cushionpocket having a coupler pivotally and longitudinally slidably connectedthereto;

said housing having a rear wall including a longitudinal bore;

a socket on said rear wall communicating with said bore;

a socket on said rear wall communicating with said bore;

said other connecting means being disposed within said socket wherebyduring buff impacts said coupler engages said other connecting means totransmit impact forces directly thereto;

biasing means between said yoke housing and said center sill;

said biasing means being compressed during draft impacts and movement ofsaid other connecting means and yoke housing in a direction away fromsaid one connecting element whereby said piston rod is moved from saidneutral position; and

said biasing means restoring said piston rod to its neutral position.

8. The invention in accordance with claim 7, said coupler including acoupler shank having a lost motion connection relative to said couplerhousing.

9. The invention in accordance with claim 8, said lost motion connectioncomprising a slot in said coupler shank and a slot in said couplerhousing, and a key element slidably disposed in said slots.

10. The invention in accordance with claim 7, said socket being concaveand said other connecting means having a con vex surface conforming tosaid concave socket.

" UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3I559,818 Dated February 2, 19 71 Inventor) WILLIS H. KNIPPEL and MARVINSTARK It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patentand that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Change the name of one of the patentees from "William H. Knippel" to--Willis H. Knippel-- Signed and sealed this 25th day of May 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. WILLIAM E; SCHUYLER, JR. Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Patents

1. A draft gear and cushioning assembly for a railway car having alongitudinal center sill which includes vertical laterally spacedsidewalls and top and bottom walls connected to define an open endcushion pocket; a retaining member connected to said sill inlongitudinally spaced relation from said open end and projectinglaterally relative to said walls; a hydraulic cushion disposed withinsaid cushion pocket and including a cylinder; a piston assembly movablelengthwise within said cylinder and including a piston having a pistonrod connected thereto; first and second connecting members respectivelyconnected to said cylinder and piston rod; said walls having opposedfirst openings longitudinally spaced and adjacent said retaining member;first removable stop brackets connected to an outer surface of saidwalls including first stop members extending through said openings andwith said retaining member engaging said first connecting member toanchor the same on said sill; a coupler assembly comprising a yokeincluding vertical laterally spaced sidewalls and top and bottom wallsinterconnected to provide an open end housing slidably disposed throughthe open end of said cushion pocket; said housing having a rear wallconnected to said second connecting means and including laterallyprojecting ears; said walls having opposed second openingslongitudinally spaced from end adjacent said open end of said cushionpocket; second removable stop brackets connected to an outer surface ofsaid walls including second stop members extending through said openingsand with said lateralLy projecting ears providing spring pockets onopposite sides of said yoke between the adjacent sidewalls of saidhousing and center sill; spring means disposed in each spring pocket; acoupler including a coupler shank connected within said housing for realrelative swinging movement; said yoke being movable from a neutralposition toward a said retaining member to provide for relative movementbetween said cylinder and piston assembly to a closed position on buffimpact; and biasing means cooperatively connected between said cylinderand yoke for returning said yoke to its neutral position, said yokebeing movable in an opposite direction during a draft impact wherebysaid spring means in said spring pockets are compressed and said springmeans then restores said yoke to its neutral position.
 2. The inventionis accordance with claim 1, said cushion pocket including upper andlower transversely spaced spring retaining brackets extending lengthwisewithin and connected to said sill; said brackets includinglongitudinally extending retaining seats; said spring means comprising aplurality of nested leaf springs; and the upper and lower ends of saidleaf springs being disposed in said retaining seats.
 3. The invention inaccordance with claim 1, including reinforcing plates connected to saidwalls and having openings registered with the first and second openingsof said walls with said stop members projecting through said walls. 4.The invention in accordance with claim 1, said rear wall of said yokehousing having a longitudinal bore; said piston rod extending throughsaid bore; and said second connecting means in the neutral position andduring draft impacts engaging a surface of said rear wall.
 5. Theinvention in accordance with claim 4, said rear surface including aconcave socket and said second connecting means having a convex portiondisposed in said socket.
 6. The invention in accordance with claim 4,said coupler shank being positioned for relative lengthwise movementrelative to said yoke housing and during buff impacts engaging saidsecond connecting means and transmitting the impact forces directlythereto.
 7. A draft gear and cushioning assembly for a railway carhaving a longitudinal hollow center sill provided at one end with acushion pocket; a cushion assembly disposed in a said cushion pocket;said cushion assembly including a cylinder; a piston assembly includinga piston and piston rod within said cylinder; said cylinder and pistonrod having relative lengthwise movement from a neutral to a closedposition during buff impact, a connecting element connected to saidcylinder and another connecting element connected to said piston rod;means anchoring one of said connecting elements within said cushionpocket; said other connecting means being longitudinally movable withinsaid center sill; a coupler yoke housing positioned for reciprocationwithin said cushion pocket having a coupler pivotally and longitudinallyslidably connected thereto; said housing having a rear wall including alongitudinal bore; a socket on said rear wall communicating with saidbore; a socket on said rear wall communicating with said bore; saidother connecting means being disposed within said socket whereby duringbuff impacts said coupler engages said other connecting means totransmit impact forces directly thereto; biasing means between said yokehousing and said center sill; said biasing means being compressed duringdraft impacts and movement of said other connecting means and yokehousing in a direction away from said one connecting element wherebysaid piston rod is moved from said neutral position; and said biasingmeans restoring said piston rod to its neutral position.
 8. Theinvention in accordance with claim 7, said coupler including a couplershank having a lost motion connection relative to said coupler hoUsing.9. The invention in accordance with claim 8, said lost motion connectioncomprising a slot in said coupler shank and a slot in said couplerhousing, and a key element slidably disposed in said slots.
 10. Theinvention in accordance with claim 7, said socket being concave and saidother connecting means having a convex surface conforming to saidconcave socket.